Ghana: President Urges Ghanaians to Preserve Rich Cultural Values

He said the achievement became possible through the promotion of eco-tourism in the area of Abutia caves, Kalakpa game and forest reserve as well as cultural promotion, which generated approximately GH¢500, 000 revenue which benefitted local businesses.

The President said the government recognised the potential of culture tourism in job creation and fostering community development, therefore the government through the Ministry of Arts and Culture would work closely with traditional authorities to accelerate development.

The Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, said the Ministry would soon establish a development fund for chiefs, which would be equivalent to the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) to support growth and development of traditional areas.

Mr Asamoah Boateng stressed the need for traditional rulers to leverage on festivals to unite and promote peace, which he said was a pre-requisite for development, and urged chiefs to create the needed platform to educate the youth on the cultural values of their areas, to reduce the impact of foreign culture on them.

He announced that the Ministry would shortly amend the Chieftaincy Act 2008 and Act 755 to return adjudication powers of chiefs on some cases that would ensure that not all cases would be sent to the law court, and asked chiefs to make use of such powers judiciously when the time comes to promote peace and development of the country.

The Paramount Chief of Abutia Traditional Area, Togbega Abutia Kodzo Gidi V, commended government for the many development activities it brought to the traditional area, which had improved on the living conditions of the people, and assured that the chiefs and people of Abutia would continue to promote peace